The invention relates to junction boxes having attachment elements. More particularly, the invention relates to junction boxes having attachment elements attached to at least one of the sides of the junction box.
Even more particularly, the invention relates to junction boxes suited for being attached by an attachment element on one of the sides of the junction box to a support surface, and which attachment element includes an integrally attached strengthening element for enhancing the connection between the attachment element and the remainder of the junction box.
Side mount junction boxes are known.
Known side mount junction boxes have drawbacks such as the side mounting attachments becoming readily detached from the junction box, so that known junction boxes are separated from the supports to which the side mount are attached. Quite simply, with known side mount junction boxes, the junction boxes are easily broken off from the side mount elements. Such breaking off may occur when a force is applied to the junction box and the fasteners which secure the side mount to the junction box are sheared off, for example.
For these and other reasons, known side mount junction boxes have only been approved by Underwriter""s Laboratory (UL) for light duty applications. Light duty applications include known junction boxes being used to support fixtures subjected to static loads less than 35 pounds of force.
It can be seen that there is a need for a side mount junction box or mounting assembly that overcomes these and other drawbacks of known devices.
It is an object of the invention to provide a mounting assembly which overcomes the drawbacks of known devices.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting assembly which is easier to use than known devices.
A further object of the invention is to provide a side mount junction box which is stronger than known devices.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a side mount junction box which can be used for heavy duty application (i.e., for use as a support for fixtures weighing more than 35 pounds), and/or use with dynamic loads, such as ceiling fans.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a side mount junction box which is easy and economical to manufacture, easy and economical to use, and which has some or all of the benefits set forth herein.
It will be appreciated that a relative terms such as up, down, left, and right, heavy, and light are for convenience in describing the invention and are not intended to be limiting.